How much water and electricity does an automatic car wash equipment really consume? If you’ve ever wondered about the environmental impact of keeping your fleet looking pristine, we have the answers you’ve been searching for.
The rise of automatic car washes reflects a global shift toward convenience and efficiency. However, as environmental awareness grows, so do concerns about water scarcity and energy consumption. For business operators and eco-conscious consumers, understanding the actual water and electricity usage of automatic car wash systems is critical. At Mattias Car Wash Solutions, we understand the importance of being eco-conscious while still ensuring your vehicles are spotless. In this article, we dive deep into the world of automatic car wash equipment to uncover the truth about water and electricity consumption.
Core Metrics: Water and Electricity Consumption
Average Water Usage
Automatic car washes are far more water-efficient than traditional methods. For example:
- Mattias M-WS310 Touchless Car Wash uses ~150 liters per vehicle (adjustable based on cycle type).
- Home washing typically consumes 300–500 liters per session due to uncontrolled water flow and inefficient rinsing.
- Commercial brush-based systems average 90–200 liters, depending on cycle complexity (e.g., undercarriage cleaning adds 20% more usage).
Electricity Demand
Modern systems prioritize energy efficiency:
- Mattias M-LM535 Rollover Automatic Car Wash operates on a 380V/11KW system, consuming ~0.7 kWh per car thanks to variable-frequency drives and auto-shutdown sensors.
- Traditional setups with outdated motors may use 1.2–2 kWh per vehicle, emphasizing the ROI of upgrading to newer models.
Factors Influencing Consumption
- Equipment Type: Touchless systems (e.g., Mattias M-WS310) rely on high-pressure water jets, reducing physical contact and water waste. Brush-based models balance mechanical scrubbing with moderate consumption.
- Cycle Complexity: Premium services like waxing or ceramic coating increase water and energy use by 15–25%.
- Geographic Needs: In water-scarce regions, Mattias machines integrate closed-loop recycling to cut freshwater dependency by 70%.
Environmental Impact and Mitigation
Water Conservation
Mattias car washing machines excel in sustainability:
- Closed-Loop Systems: Recycle up to 85% of water through Car Wash Sewage Purifier M-SH60, reducing freshwater intake.
- Biodegradable Detergents: Compatible with eco-friendly chemicals that minimize groundwater contamination.
Cost Implications for Operators
- Utility Savings: A Mattias machine washing 40 cars/day consumes ~28 kWh and 6,000 liters (with recycling). At 0.12/kWh and 2/m³ water, monthly costs total 135L vs. 500+L for manual washes.
- ROI: Operators recover costs in 12–18 months through reduced bills and higher customer turnover.
Consumer Perspective
Eco-conscious drivers increasingly prefer certified green car washes. A Mattias touchless wash not only uses 50% less water than DIY methods(HANDS CAR WASH and SELF-SERVICE CAR WASH) but also ensures zero scratches, enhancing vehicle resale value.
Future Trends – IoT
- 1. Car Wash Supplies: Equipment that has IOT based Sensors, can inform you about the status of supplies. The system can preempt you to make provisions for car wash supplies like Shampoos, Waxes, and Foam Boosters. This means you do not have to go daily and check how much of the consumables are left. Isn’t it fantastic?
- 2. Equipment Status: Since the sensors are connected to the IoT-based controller, you can know the status of each and every sensor sitting at a remote location, you can know when your air pressure has dropped, your chemical levels have dropped, the machine has voltage fluctuations, etc. All this can be tracked while you are not even near the car wash equipment. In fact, you would know more about the machine at a remote location than any person would be able to know while he stands in front of the car wash equipment.
- 3. Support: Given that your car wash machine reports the sensor status and performance statistics of your machine to you directly, the same can be shared with MATTIAS for fault diagnosis. Infact MATTIAS Factory can connect to your machine sitting in the opposite corner of the world and understand the fault based on the sensor data logging and current Output status. Wouldn’t it be better if the service person comes with the requisite part before he comes to the site?
- 4. Multiple Locations: With Internet-connected machines, you can get the details on your machine working on your Mobile or remote office. Details like the Number of Car Washed, Car Wash Programs Operated, can be checked by you at any time. Since you do not need to be present on Site always, you’ll have enough time to manage other businesses or start multiple car wash locations.
- 5. Business Intelligence: With streaming of such large data, you get a lot of information which can be termed as Business Intelligence. For instance, you can have data of the vehicles washed in the same month last year. You can understand the patterns and make decisions accordingly. Decisions like opening and closing times can be analyzed. You might find that on average only 1 car comes in the morning hours. You might want to shift the working hours towards the evening when you experience higher traffic.
Internet-enabled machines literally change the dynamics of the vehicle wash industry. Instead of owning one car wash center, you can be an owner of an entire chain of car wash centers.
Conclusion
Automatic car washes like Mattias M-WS310, M-LM216, and M-LM535 are revolutionizing the industry with low water use, energy-efficient tech, and scalable ROI. By choosing Mattias, operators invest in both profitability and planetary health.
Ready to cut costs and go green? Explore Mattias’ full range of automatic car wash systems at:
Contact us today for a customized quote and join the sustainability revolution!
If you have any questions, feel free to send your questions below. We would be glad to answer them for you.
